Are You Alright?
by stubborn-dreamer
Summary: "With Nelson, Avery did not need strive to decipher him, or put all her concentration to read his face like she did with the others. She knew him like someone knows the way home, and she could feel him even with closed eyes." Avery/Nelson


**Based on 02x03 episode "Brown Eyes, Blue Eyes"**

 **Sorry if some words or expressions of the dialogues are different than they are in Csi Cyber. Well, the fact is that the translators translate to Portuguese, and I need to use the subtitles to translate back to English (because my ears are not yet very apt to english xD)So, let's say it's a complicated job. :D**

 **Anyway, I hope it is at least understandable. ;)**

* * *

\- This is our church! - says the woman, with weeping voice - Who would do something like this? And why?

Around, all that can be seen are ashes and debris. CSIs make records and take pictures, and Avery is just there standing, watching.

Nelson is a few steps ahead of her. Also standing. Also watching.

\- Fortunately, no one was injuried, but everything of value was set on fire. - says Elijah, approaching - I doubt that the devices will give you much.

\- That was the intention. - Avery regrets - To destroy all evidence. First, he made sure that the church was clean, then doused the place with gasoline. He manipulated the electrical wiring, then who pressed the light switch burned this place until the ground.

Elijah departs, and Avery can no longer ignore what is in front of her. She looks at Nelson, and he is still standing in the same position since he had entered that place.

With Nelson, Avery did not need strive to decipher him, or put all her concentration to read his face like she did with the others. She knew him like someone knows the way home, and she could feel him even with closed eyes. It was something automatic, almost reflexive, and now she could see very clearly: he was distressed.

She always knew that case would affect him personally, and this had been very clear by his reactions when they had interrogated officer Causley.

Hesitantly, she walks the short distance that separates them and puts her hand on his shoulder.

\- Are you alright? - she asks in a low and soft voice. It was the kind of voice that she only used with him in private, a voice that identified her not as his boss, but as his girlfriend.

\- Yes I'm alright. - he replies and walks away.

His tone is cold, distant, almost robotic. A tone he had never used with her before.

And more than that, he had _shied away_ of her touch. Nelson would never do that in his normal state.

Suddenly, Avery feels silly for asking if he was alright.

Of course he was not.

* * *

\- Brody Nelson? - Avery asks him, entering the room where he is working - Please tell me you have a clue.

\- I'll do better than that. - he replies, confident like someone who has good news - It was a homemade device that redirected the community's Wi-Fi to a radio frequency, to made us thinking the clue died in the fire.

Secretly, Avery loved the rare occasions when they could talk alone. Although they only talked about the cases, in these moments they could be themselves without contain or conceal the affection in their expressions.

Nelson is smiling, and it makes Avery smile too.

\- That smile tells me it did not work ... am I right?

\- Yes, because our target is smart. Think of him like a bank robber, who robs a bank, and escapes getting away in a car. Heading out into the tunnel, cops follow, cars crush... boom! The tunnel explodes.

\- And everyone thinks it's over ... - Avery complete.

\- But the target uses a secret underground passage - he continues - to outwit the cops and escape unharmed. The boys in blue never found out.

Avery looks at him for a while, frowning as connects the dots of what Nelson had just said.

\- Our hacker redirected the video using radio waves, knowing that the cops would never think to look.

\- But we aren't cops. - He says, proud and conceited while turning the laptop toward Avery - We are Cyber.

\- Oh ...

Avery smiles widely while watching.

\- What we have to do is follow this frequency. Krummy will track it.

It was in such moments that Avery was more proud of not having given up Nelson. In all senses.

She was proud to have believed that he could become a good hacker, and realized that she was right all the time to see him working for the good with so much satisfaction. But above all, Avery was proud to have not given up of what she felt for him, to have not let her fear win.

Because now, he was _hers._

\- My boyfriend is the best hacker in the world. - she whispers softly, smiling at him.

\- And my girlfriend is a bit exaggerated. - Nelson smiles back.

They stare each other for a while, and gradually the smiles are undone.

\- I'm sorry for asking if you were alright. I know you're not.

\- It is me who should apologize. You know, to move away like that. I did not want to hurt you.

Avery shakes her head.

\- It's okay, honey. See, I do not want to seem nosy, but unintentionally I heard the end of your conversation with Raven. She's right. Sometimes it's okay to be angry.

Avery takes his hand and interlaces their fingers together. It was like a kiss when they could not kiss.

Nelson nods, and squeezes her hand.

\- Thanks. I love you.

Avery smiles.

\- I love you too.

She releases his hand and gives him a long and loving look before leaving.

Nelson was gonna be fine.


End file.
